⁹ Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked^(A) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone^(B) while we preached the gospel of God to you.

³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.^(A)

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’^(B)

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.^(C) And the door was shut.

⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.^(A) We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked^(B) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,^(C) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.^(D)

⁴⁰ This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.^(A)